Last weekend, we spent our usual summer weekend in Berlin seeing our eldest daughter. Time for family and tourism – and a few trains in passing. After last year spending our wedding anniversary looking at trains in the technology museum, this year was a little low key on railways…..

So we went to the zoo. We got there on my favourite U-Bahn line (U1/U2/U3), that is elevated for much of its route, with elegant overhead stations.

And once the line went underground, we arrived at this impressive station…

And the zoo was great fun. I’d forgotten how interesting it is to see the worlds animals and birds, in well kept surroundings. And how much good conservation and education work is carried out there. So here are just a few of the animals we saw. It’s not really a zoo without pandas, elephants and penguins!

Somehow, a day at the zoo rolls back the years. Can you believe that my ladies actually waited for children to get off this hippo to get their photos taken?

Now this is a good way to end the day. Sitting outside a Mexican restaurant enjoying a good meal and watching the trains go by.